Black Waves, Bright Moon

Russell Wharton

General Info

Year of Published: 2024
Publisher: Tapspace Publications
Duration: 00:09:10
Difficulty: Advanced
Cost: Score and Parts - $55.00   |   Score Only - $19.00

Instrumentation

Player 1: Glockenspiel & Suspended Cymbal (Shared) & Triangle (Shared)
Player 2: Xylophone & Chimes & Triangle (Small)
Player 3: Vibraphone 1
Player 4: Vibraphone 2
Player 5: Marimba 1
Player 6: Marimba 2
Player 7: Marimba 3
Player 8: Marimba 4
Player 9: Ocean Drum & Wind Chimes (Bamboo) & China Cymbal (High and Low)
Player 10: Timpani & Concert Snare Drum & Temple Blocks
Player 11: 4 Concert Tom Toms & Sizzle Cymbal & Concert Bass Drum (Shared) & Tam Tam (Shared) & Suspended Cymbal (Shared)
Player 12: Ocean Drum & Concert Bass Drum (Shared) & Tam Tam (Shared) & Suspended Cymbal (Shared)

Program Notes

From composer Russell Wharton’s own words: “Black Waves, Bright Moon for percussion orchestra is a series of scenes with a cosmic-horror atmosphere. Inspired by the work of American author H. P. Lovecraft, and specifically his story The Shadow Over Innsmouth, the piece uses strange textures, ominous harmonies, and violent rhythmic figures to evoke the frightening world of Lovecraft’s fiction. Black Waves, Bright Moon tells of midnight rituals near the water, of strange towns with questionable histories, of inhuman sounds coming from the house next door, of great powers lurking deep under the waves, and the too-close moon that illuminates the things in the night.” Players will work together and individually to create the various moods, sound effects, and scene changes occurring throughout the piece in service of delivering a unique, albeit slightly hair-raising, experience to an audience. There is certainly no shortage of notes for the performers to contend with but also a lot of space during which the listener must anxiously await whatever may be coming next.

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Solo

Aquatic - Vibraphone & Multimedia
Corruption - Multiple Percussion & Audio
Deus Ex Metronome - Snare Drum & Audio
The Fool - Vibraphone & Multimedia
Kingdoms - Snare Drum & Multimedia
Metro - Marimba & Multimedia
Phylogenesis - Snare Drum & Audio

Ensemble

Black Waves, Bright Moon - 12 Players
Lightweaver - Marimba Quartet
Rock Paper Scissors - Percussion Quartet